Measures

A consultation was held to develop the WHO ethical and safety recommendations for researching, documenting and monitoring sexual violence in emergencies. This is now available in English and French, and translation into Arabic is under way. Hide

WHO is continuing the analysis from the database of the WHO Multi-country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence against Women. Results of research on the obstetric complications of female genital mutilation from 6 African countries were published.. WHO has continued to provide technical support to Member States on request, including on data collection and violence against women surveys, health sector response, and primary prevention. Hide

WHO held an expert meeting on primary prevention of intimate partner violence and sexual violence on 2-3 May in Geneva (report and background paper available in the WHO website). Hide

WHO has continued to provide technical support to Member States on request, including on health sector response, and primary prevention. Within the framework of violence prevention, WHO emphasizes the role of public health in the prevention and response to violence against women. WHO is actively advocating against the medicalization of female genital mutilation. Hide

IOM signed an agreement with the Colombian Ministry of Justice in order to provide technical assistance and support in the de-centralization of the national strategic plan. Hide

IOM Colombia also started the implementation of a project to prevent and address gender-based violence in IDPs at and across the Colombian borders with Panama, Venezuela and Ecuador. Hide

Local stakeholders from government agencies, civil society and service provider organizations are trained with the support of IOM to offer an enhanced assistance for trafficked victims and prosecute traffickers. Since February 2008, IOM has conducted specialized training and capacity building workshops in a number of cities in Pakistan to sensitize a variety of actors on human trafficking, emphasizing the different dimensions of violence against women. IOM signed an agreement with the Colombian Ministry of Justice in order to develop counter-trafficking activities in the areas of technical assistance and support in the de-centralization of the national strategic plan. Hide

A regional programme supported by IOM is providing assistance for the return and reintegration of trafficked women and girls, mainly exploited as domestic workers, throughout the region. Medical assessments are carried out in the shelters with special attention to HIV cases. Reintegration activities involve school support or income generating activities. IOM signed an agreement with the Colombian Ministry of Justice in order to develop counter-trafficking activities in the areas of assistance to victims and prevention through a hot-line. Hide

FAO collaborated with the members of the IASC Task Force in the dissemination of "Guidelines for gender-based violence interventions in humanitarian settings: focusing on prevention of and response to sexual violence in emergencies" and the handbook "Women, girls, boys and men: different needs - equal opportunities", which also includes some actions to address gender-based violence. Hide

As part of the United Nations system-wide work programme on scaling-up HIV/AIDS services for populations of humanitarian concern, FAO carried out research on HIV AND AIDS, gender inequality, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and equal property rights in Western Kenya (Busia District). Hide